There are many different situations in which instruments, devices, machinery, etc., need to be filled with a particular fluid to a specific level for proper maintenance and operation. Due to the vast number of possible situations in which it would be necessary to fill a fluid to a particular level, the filling of brake fluid in an automotive vehicle's master cylinder will be focussed on for exemplary purposes only.
The master cylinder has a reservoir which provides brake fluid to the automotive vehicle's brakes. The master cylinder reservoir generally has minimum and maximum level markers visible on the outside of the reservoir. The brake fluid level normally must be maintained between these level markers for proper operation of the automotive vehicle's brake system. The reservoir, however, is normally located under the hood of the automotive vehicle within the engine compartment. Such a location for the reservoir facilitates a variety of problems for the mechanic or vehicle operator when they attempt to fill the reservoir with brake fluid.
For instance, the engine compartment is usually cramped making it difficult to read the level markers on the reservoir or to view the fluid level within the reservoir. Additionally, the reading of the level markers on the reservoir or the viewing of the fluid level within the reservoir is made increasingly difficult by the fact that the engine compartment is generally a dirty environment which causes the reservoir to be covered with a film of dust, grease, oil, etc. Furthermore, the conventional method of filling the reservoir with brake fluid, by freely pouring the fluid from a brake fluid container, may easily result in spills or overfilling to the point of overflowing the reservoir. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a device that is capable of directing the flow of brake fluid from the container of brake fluid into the master cylinder reservoir, while at the same time controlling the level to which the fluid is filled.